There's something electric happening in Vietnam right now. You might not think so having never visited, but once you're on the ground it's hard to deny the excitement on the streets of Saigon. The buzz, the smell of street food everywhere, and the hustle/bustle of the city is really something to experience. With more than three months in Vietnam, this has been our longest stay since we left the Philippines back in September 2014. We came into Saigon with a a great network of people living … [Read more...]
Exploring Bangkok And A Family Reunion
Ah, Bangkok. This incredibly vibrant city can really overload the senses. From the delightful smells and tastes of some of the best street food on the planet to the pulsating beats that overload the city's nightlife - prepare to be overwhelmed by it all! For these reasons (and many more) Bangkok is definitely my favorite city (so far) in SE Asia. My first visit was in 2012 and my impression hasn't changed much since then. While I grew up in a small town surrounded by … [Read more...]
Living (Temporarily) In Chiang Mai
We're out! We've left the Philippines and arrived September 15th, 2014 in Chiang Mai Thailand - our first stop on what we hope will be an amazing, whirlwind tour of all the places we want to go and see. We found a neat, loft-style place on the 3rd floor of a 3-story building. It's a really nice place and feels like home - much better than the small condo we stayed at in Manila for a week. Life in Chiang Mai feels very much like a Thai version of Davao - the place we lived previously. It's … [Read more...]
Facing Fears And Insecurities As A Location Independent Couple
Justin and I were arguing when the topic of our leaving came up and I found myself in tears. What I hadn't told him was that - even though I'm really excited about moving away from the Philippines - I'm nervous and anxious about it as well. We're going to be far from home, my family, and everything I've grown up with and I'm worried about a bunch of things: What if we grow apart? What if I don't find any friends or nobody likes me? How will we deal with the stress of traveling … [Read more...]
Riding 2 Wheel Death Traps In SEAsia
I'm deathly afraid of motorcycles (and scooters). So much so that I've never actually driven one. Sure, I've ridden on the back of a few scooters when there wasn't a taxi or trike around, but that's not quite the same as driving one yourself. It's a justified fear, I think - I've had a family member severely handicapped on a scooter, a friend in the Navy paralyzed when he crashed his motorcycle, and another friend with a serious infection from laying down her scooter in Bali. In … [Read more...]
Minimalist Travel? Not Gonna Happen!
So - We're pretty far from minimalists. While our friends are touting the advantages of owning nothing, packing light, and only going carry-on, we've been quietly accumulating stuff. Lots of stuff. If we're going to be hitting the road in September, we're going to have to get rid of some things - there's no WAY we're going to be able to fit all this in our bags. As I said - minimalist travelers we are not. :-) I am interested in packing light(er) though. Here's a nice … [Read more...]
Welcome To Expat Romance!
Hey there - so nice to have you with us! This is the personal blog of Justin & Aiza as they work, travel, eat, and blog their way through SE Asia and beyond. We're excited to share our journey with you and our tips, lessons, and experiences as we begin our life as location independent entrepreneurs. Who Is This For? You might want to follow along if you're: Thinking about heading out with your partner or SO and becoming location independent You're a couple traveling around SE … [Read more...]